AAP rejects increase in MSP of wheat

Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday termed as “anti-farmer” the central government’s decision to increase by Rs 100 per quintal the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat.

Reacting to Rs 100 per quintal increase in wheat MSP, AAP Punjab Convener Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi said the prices of daily items are increasing many folds everyday but government is not providing a “deserving hike” to the farmer’s produce.

He said that the apathy of government was forcing farmers to take extreme steps.

Ghuggi said the hike in MSP is not “viable” as Punjab Agriculture University in 2010 had suggested a price of Rs 1,700 for wheat, “but till now the government has not applied the suggestion and the price of wheat this year has gone to Rs 1,625 only.”

On the other hand, input cost on wheat and other crops has increased many folds, he added.

The AAP leader said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who claimes to be a “Savior of Farmers”, has failed to protect the rights of farmers as he could not convince his alliance partner Prime Minister Narnedra Modi to provide deserving price of their crops.

“Modi government has failed to implement the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission and union minister Harsimrat Badal who promised before elections to implement it did not utter a word,” he said.